7 Superb Utilities for Android

A run-down of seven excellent Android utilities for smartphones and tablets.

Although games and apps that cater to the desires of the masses to waste time get the most publicity, there are a plethora of apps for the Android platform that help small businesses and regular users get everyday tasks done.

Mobile devices keep becoming more robust with better processing power, memory, and battery life. Thanks to better hardware and the continued evolution of mobile operating systems, the apps written for them are becoming more powerful and diverse.

Many tasks that you could previously only perform on a desktop can now be done on a mobile device. For instance, eFax has long been creating software that makes it possible for end-users to fax directly from their desktops. Now the company offers eFax for Android devices. Our testing shows that few features are sacrificed in the mobile version.

Android apps are being used in even more demanding ways, however. We have tested a number of apps designed to help monitor and manage wireless networks. One app, Wolf WiFi Pro, is hearty enough that an IT consultant could use it to perform a site survey for a relatively small-to-mid-sized wireless network deployment. Then there are apps that allow a small business and users to perform traditionally mundane and time-consuming tasks in new automated and efficient ways. Software Data Cable allows you to quickly perform file transfers between PCs and Android devices via a wireless network.

Check out our slideshow for a roundup of apps we've recently tested that make excellent tools and utilities for both individual users and small businesses.

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Automatic Renewal Program: Your subscription will continue without interruption for as long as you wish, unless
you instruct us otherwise. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the term unless you authorize
cancellation. Each year, you'll receive a notice and you authorize that your credit/debit card will be charged the
annual subscription rate(s). You may cancel at any time during your subscription and receive a full refund on all
unsent issues. If your credit/debit card or other billing method can not be charged, we will bill you directly instead. Contact Customer Service

Wolf WiFi Pro

Wolf WiFi Pro

$49.99Wolf WiFi Pro is a wireless networking app that differs from other network utility apps for Android in that it allows you to perform a fairly sophisticated wireless site survey. Capabilities such as recording the wireless signal strength in a specific location, generating heat maps, creating reports and uploading floor plans to aid in deploying a wireless network, make this app—rather expensive for a mobile app—worth the price.